Apparatus for applying rubber soles to boots and shoes.



E. A. SAUNDERS. 1 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING RUBBER SOLES '110 BOOTS ANDSHOES.

' APPLICATION rum) JAIL 10, 1907.

939,330. I Patented Nov. 9, 1909.

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a nrranATUs-ron APPLYING mag-mm: Belt k njown thatI, EMMETT A'. SAUN-nnns, a citizen of the United States,-residing South Bend, State ofIndiana, have invented a certain new and ,usefulImprovelmentm Apparatusfor Applying Rubber Soles to Boots and Shoes, of whiclithe fol-" lowingis; a specification.

e o O Invent on has. relation to an imlggQVedafQF-Iil. ofapparatuswhereby rubber titom's may be applied by vulcanizationThe'improved apparatus herein claimed shown'and described in'my pendingapplithough itis suitable. for applying rubber soles, timing and heelsto shoes mad of other than rubber,- as r for instance canvas shoes. Tothe extent 'of the-disclosures inmy said pending applicationthis is acontinuation thereof.

{My im roved apparatus in one preferred orm is s own in the accompanyingdrawtng wherein-- t Figure 1 is a cross section of the mold with a shoein it andFigQ is a perspective view ofthe combined sole, foxing and heelwhich may be vulcanized on to a shoe by dire form of my invention.

In usin my improved mold andpress. for makingrubber. footiwear I preferto proceedfas follows: The body ofthe shcfe, in-

cluding the inner sole as shown at 1 in ii 1, is built up'i'n tneus'ua-lananner on first 2, being constructed of properly shaped cementedtogether temporarily.- The thick outer rubber sole 3 is separatelyprepared, being either formed green or partly vulcanized in a press in.a well" known manner. The sole shown in Fig. 2 is a typical example ofthis part'as prepared for application to the shoe. It is concave intransverse section to fit theconvexity of the shoe body, and ispreferably provided with an n turned edge 4, which is adapted to fitclosel all around the lower edge of the shoe ody. The'forin" of sole'illustrated is not essential to my invention thescope of which coversthe use and application of a mere tap sole or of a heel alone; The shoebodyand the thick lower part to be applied:

having been thus separately prethereto $pe eif cat'ion of LettersPatent. Appllcptibhfiled Jenni-5 10,1907. Serial No. 351,634. a

fder pressure to Shoes. and boots of all nuianrn seL s 'ro. Booms AntiSEIOES.

, ,Pateii ted Nev. 9, 1909.

pared, the latter is placedin a mold 5 into which'it fits snugly, whichmold is combined with means for a pressing the shoe body, whilestill onthe lastydown onto 'the sole in said mold. In the illustrative form ofapparatus shownjin' the drawin s, this takes the shape'of an arch 6fitted Wltll'tt screw 7' having a hand wheel 8; The last with the shoebody upon it is placed upon the'sol'e 3 so as to-fit within the upturnededge -l y andthe screw 7 is turned down hard upon it. The action of theconvex body when thus forced down into thecoi'icavesole when in the mold5 is to create a pressure between the soft meeting surfaces atallpoints, and

thus the sole is pressed upon the shoe body, not only on the undersurface, but horizontally along the entire length'of the upturned edges4. These upturned edges 4, being thus subjected to pressure wherethe-edges of the lower part of the" mold approach very close to the bodyltfof the shoe, form a fox ing which isvulcan'ized'in place underpressure as follows: In order to carry out my process, the mold must beheated to a proper vulcanizing temperature and this may be accomplishedin any manner desired. In the apparatus shown in the drawing the mold 5is hollow as shown and the'heat is sup- -plied by steam entering forinstance at 9 and returning at 10. By the means above described there iscreated a strong continuous pressure which is preserved during theperiod of vulcanization of the lower shoe body and joined surfaces, oruntil this proce'ss has been carried so far that the material is able ofitsown resistance tolsuppress. all

formation of sponginess under the further influence of heat. When theheating under pressure has been thus carried on for a sufficient time toproduce the desired degree of vulcanization the shoe isremoved from themold and is complete at this stage, if the uppers are of other substancethan rubber, as for instance canvas. \Vhere the uppers are made of greenrubber, as above described, howeverya'ffurther vulcanization withoutpressure is necessary, as-described in my pending'appliicationaforesaid.

When the sole i'sfformed onto the shoe in a mold under great pressure,theinner sole,

filling-sole, lapping portion of the vamp, outer sole, (made plastic bythe heat,) and the foxing are all compressed and vulcanized togetherinto. practically one solid piece handsomely finished and making itpractically impossiblefor the parts to separate or become detached onefrom the other.

Among the essential features of my device are the following: first, thatmeans are provided for forming a heel, sole, and foxing portion completeall in one piece in a mold: second, that the-said mold is formed in onlyone piece, and therefore the expense of manufacturing the same isgreatly reduced; third, more particularly in the making of rubber shoesthese heels, soles, and foxing may be molded and partially vulcanizedseparate and independent of the upper and the whole then completelyvulcanized in the usual way by placing them in an oven without the useof pressure. This method of molding and semi-vulcanizing the sole, heel,and foxing separately from the upper has itsspecial and importantadvantages over the old way of making the shoe Whollyby hand, oneadvantage being that the shoe when completed has a perfect shape and afinished appearance the same as a wholly-molded shoe. Then, again, bymolding the heel, sole, and foxing into one piece it is naturally muchstronger, and as the greatest wearing strain comes on this portion ofthe shoe the wearing life of the whole shoe is greatly increased. Again,varnish applied to a rubber shoe that is subsequently vulcanizedwithoutbeing molded will keep its luster much longer than when the shoeis formed in a mold, as by this method the varnish is baked into theshoe and cannot be easily removed.

The above is a most simple, practical, inexpensive, and eflicient mannerof applying rubber soles to canvas shoes or the like, as the vulcanizingmay be accomplished by the use of a last, mold, and steam-chest and thepressure applied by any ordinary screwpress, if desired. The expense ofmanufacturing is greatly facilitated over the ordinarily complicated andexpensive means heretofore employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim asnew, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isi 1. In a device of the character described,a mold adapted to form the heel, sole and foxing portion of a shoe fromrubber or other plastic material, means for applying heat to saidmoldfor vulcanizing its contents, means for applying pressure to saidmold while vulcanizing, and means for causing resistance to the plasticmaterial so the same will be forced into the pores ofi the upper.

2. In ai-device of the character described, a mold adapted to form theheel, sole "and foxing portion only of a shoe, a last adapted to fitinto said mold and assist in the formation of said heel, sole and foxingportion therein, said mold being so formed as to closely engage thefoXing-line of said last to cause a resistance and prevent the freeflowing of the material therefrom, and means for applying heat andpressure to the material.

3. In a device of the character described, a mold adapted to form theheel, sole and foxing portion of a shoe, a last over which a shoe may beformed the same being adapted to fit the mold and assist in theformation of the heel, sole and foxing therein, means for applying heatand pressure to the material, and means in said last and mold forcausing resistance to the plastic material so that the same will beformed into the pores of the upper.

4. In a device of the character described, a mold adapted to form theheel, sole and foxing portion of a shoe, a last over which a shoe may beformed the same being adapted to fitthe mold and assist in the formationof the heel, sole and foxing therein, said mold being so formed as toclosely fit the upper on the last at the foxing-line thereof to cause aresistance and insure the plastic material being formed into the poresof the upper, and means for applying heat and pressure to the material.

5. In a device of the character described, a mold adapted to form theheel, sole and foxing portion of a shoefrom rubber or other plasticmaterial, means for applyingheat tosaid mold for vulcanizing itscontents, a last or'forln to assist in the forina- 1 tion of the heel,sole and foxing portion, means for'applying pressure to said mold whilevulcanizing, and means engaging the foXing-line to better retain thematerial while under pressure.

EMMETT A. SAUNDERS. lVitnesses;

H. S. MAQKAYE, M. STEVEN.

